Tagged: Labor

Feeling very inspired and honored to have spent the day listening to and learning from the wonderful Dr Sarah Buckley today at BINI Birth, about our hormonal reproductive design for life in relation to birth. Amazing day spent surrounded with like minded people learning more about my life passions-good times!

Despite what we are led to believe, our bodies work pretty well. They work in the same way they have done for millions of years. Our bodies have the same innate level of wisdom and survival features that they always have. The same ones that have allowed our species to successfully exist on this planet for hundreds of generations. When you really think about it, Mother Nature came up with a pretty fantastic design (although it may not always seem like it) for pregnancy, labor, birth and breastfeeding. When it all unfolds naturally, the concoction of hormones, emotions, reflexes and innate behaviors that evolve from both the mother and the baby, paint the most perfect picture.

Whilst in England recently, I came across the ‘Natural Birthing Company’ at a baby show event. They are consist of a group of Midwives with a holistic approach to Maternity care. They offer a number of services including doula support, educational classes and luxurious baby moon packages!

They also have a range of aromatherapy products to pamper moms and moms-to be in preparation for birth and motherhood. This is where I discovered the ‘Midwives’ Bomb’, which I think is a genius product! A yummy fizzy bath bomb which you can either use as a pre-labor treat to prepare your body, or during labor as a labor enhancer. It contains a great combination of goodies designed specifically for labor and birth:

Rosemary – for aching muscles and exhaustion

Vertiver – stress relieving, calming and grounding

Flax Seed Oil – for ripening the cervix

Raspberry Leaf – for toning the uterus and effective contractions during labor

‘Looking for a way to decrease the length of your labour, reduce your need for pain medication, decrease your chances of needing a forceps delivery or a Caesarean, and leave you feeling satisfied about your birth experience? What you need is a Doula—the birthing world’s equivalent of a fairy godmother’.

By Ann Douglas

A wonderful article promoting the use of Doulas in the labor and birth world, highlighting the amazing benefits these experienced women can bring to your birthing journey.

Choosing the right members for your birth ‘team’, can have a huge impact on how smoothly your labor and birth flow. Bear in mind that for most women, the more people she has present during her labor and birth, the longer the labor will be. Birth, for the most part is a very private act, therefore it is important, that whoever you choose to have at your birth, you feel completely relaxed with. When you feel safe and supported in labor, your brain produces hormones that help you to relax, allowing your labor to progress, and reducing your risk of needing interventions. Research has shown that the better the support a woman receives, the easier her labor will be, and the more satisfied she will be with their birth experience. It is well documented that women who receive continuous labor support from a Doula, Midwife or other trained labor support, are less likely to have a cesarean birth, or other medical interventions.

Birth is a primal act, and the best way to allow labor to unfold naturally is by allowing yourself to be transported to a primal state of mind, often referred to as ‘Labor Land’. If you feel too conscious about yourself, or that you are being ‘watched’ by others around you, this will distract you from being fully immersed in to this altered state, and interrupt the natural progression of labor.

Think of your birth as a marathon. A journey that will push you further than you have ever been before. Well beyond the boundaries of your comfort zone. A journey that requires you to traverse uneven terrain and persevere through the unknown, until you accomplish your mission.

Whoever you take with you on this amazing adventure, choose people you know will be supportive of your birth choices, calm and encouraging, even if events become challenging. Choose someone who is focused and can help you find your way, no matter how unsteady the ground is

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Do not feel obliged to have family members or friends, or even your partner present for your birth if you do not feel completely comfortable in their presence.